What is reverse signaling?
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Reverse signaling, also known as countersignaling, is a social behavior where individuals deliberately engage in actions that appear contrary to typical status signals to differentiate themselves and elevate their status.
provides an example of this through the observation that high-status professors at prestigious universities often downplay their titles and adopt simpler linguistic styles in their communications, unlike their lower-status counterparts who emphasize titles and jargon to impress 1. This phenomenon is also observed in fashion, where high-status individuals might wear clothes that appear out of fashion to signal their confidence and secure position in the fashion hierarchy, making it hard for those not at the top to copy without just looking out of fashion 2.
notes that in the political realm, reverse signaling can manifest in opposing changes insisted upon by more progressive groups, signaling allegiance to traditional values and distinguishing themselves from perceived elite behaviors 3.
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